No Joint Press Conference For Cain Accusers, Lawyer Says

by: November 10, 2011

Karen Kraushaar, who received a 1999 settlement in a workplace sexual harassment complaint against Herman Cain, has decided not to hold a joint press conference with three other women who have also alleged past harassment by the GOP presidential candidate, her attorney said Thursday afternoon.

Only Sharon Bialek, who held a press conference this week to allege that Cain made an inappropriate sexual advance when she met with him to seek help finding a job, had agreed to participate.

She is being represented by well-known lawyer, Gloria Allred.

Kraushaar’s lawyer, Joel Bennett, says that, for the past several days, she has been trying to contact two other women who have accused Cain of harassment but have remained anonymous.

“Despite diligent efforts,” Bennett said outside his Washington law office, “she has not heard from these women.”

Like Kraushaar, one of the women worked at the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s and independently made a claim of harassment against Cain.

Both Kraushaar, 55, a longtime government employee who now works as a spokesperson for the Treasury Department, and the second woman received cash payments to settle their claims.

The other woman who has remained anonymous told the Associated Press last week that Cain allegedly harassed her when she worked at the association.

“Ms. Kraushaar has decided not to hold a press conference unless and until the other women come forward,” Bennett said. “She will have no future comment until that time and she and I will not be granting any interviews to the media before any such press conference.”

“Ms. Kraushaar thanks Gloria Allred and Sharon Bialek for their willingness to appear with her, but believes it would be more meaningful to have all four women present and participating,” he said.

Kraushaar’s name was revealed earlier this week by the online news site The Daily.

Last week, the restaurant association offered Kraushaar a full mutual waiver of any confidentiality obligations. She and Bennett opted for a limited waiver that allowed her to make a statement characterizing Cain’s alleged harassment.

Bennett this week indicated that in advance of the proposed press conference they would proceed with the full waiver offered by the restaurant association, but have not yet done so.